Google has announced that its AI Mode, the conversational search experience launched in early 2025, can now connect with third-party apps to let users complete tasks directly from the search interface. The tech giant confirmed on Thursday that supported apps at launch include Instacart, Canva and YouTube, with further partners expected to be added in the coming months.
The update marks a shift from AI Mode being purely a question-and-answer tool to one that can carry out actions — such as adding items to an Instacart shopping cart, browsing Canva templates for a flyer, or saving a curated playlist to YouTube Music. Google demonstrated the feature with an example: a user planning a barbecue could use AI Mode to generate a grocery list, connect their Instacart account, and add the ingredients to their cart for checkout.
For UK businesses, the development signals a growing reliance on embedded AI agents that can automate routine tasks across multiple platforms. Retailers using services like Instacart (or its UK equivalents) may see changes in how customers discover and purchase products. However, the feature is currently limited to the US, and it remains unclear when UK users will gain access. Google has said it is working with a range of partners and plans to extend support to more apps soon.
The move intensifies competition with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, both of which already offer app integrations. It builds on a capability Google first previewed at its I/O developer conference earlier this year, which allowed users to link third-party apps to the Gemini assistant. Since then, Google has steadily added features to AI Mode, including the ability to check in-store stock availability and a side-by-side web browsing mode for comparing information.
From a regulatory perspective, the expansion raises questions about data handling and user consent. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been scrutinising how AI systems process personal data, particularly when they access email, photos and other private information. Google’s earlier introduction of “Personal Intelligence” — which taps into Gmail and Google Photos to personalise responses — could face additional compliance requirements under the UK’s data protection regime and the EU’s AI Act, which imposes obligations on high-risk AI systems.
Dr. Anya Sharma, a digital ethics researcher at the University of Cambridge, commented: “The convenience of having AI complete tasks across apps is undeniable, but it also concentrates more user data in a single ecosystem. UK regulators will need to ensure that consumers retain control over how their information is used, especially when actions like purchasing are involved.”